


The True Harbinger of Spring

by theladyscribe



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Baseball, Angst, Baseball, Fluff, Institutional Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-09-03
Packaged: 2018-02-15 23:27:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2247387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theladyscribe/pseuds/theladyscribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That's the true harbinger of spring, not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano, but the sound of a bat on a ball. --Bill Veeck</p><p>[A series of snapshots from the baseball AU I am definitely not writing.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

They’re in Chicago playing the Cubs when it happens. It’s the sixth inning, and Steve’s at bat (always in the nine-spot even if he actually does manage to get on base occasionally), and everything’s going well, he’s got a 3-1 count and the strike zone’s been small tonight. Wood’s been a little wild, but nothing too crazy, when suddenly he lets his fastball fly, and the next thing Bucky sees is Steve in a heap on the ground.

The only thing that keeps Bucky from sprinting to home plate from his spot in the dugout is Wilson’s grip on his jersey.

"Not your problem, Bucky," he says softly. "No matter how much you want it to be."

He takes a deep breath, because he knows it’s true; Sam’s one of only a handful who have any clue that he and Steve are closer than just friends. This is neither the time nor the place to give that away, so Bucky stands silent with his teammates as the trainers and medics assess the damage.

*

The team shuffles through their post-game cool-down and showers in furtive silence. It was a hard-fought loss tonight, and would have been even without the brawl in the bottom of the sixth inning. Most everyone is out of the showers and in the middle of changing clothes when Peggy storms into the locker room.

"There is no excuse for what took place out there tonight," she says in that quiet, clipped way of hers that sparks more fear than shouting ever would. "You boys played sloppy, and we don’t have enough of a lead in the standings for that luxury. I expect better of you." She eyes each one of them in turn; most look away.

"Barnes, Rogers, my office. Now."

Barnes and Rogers—both long dressed in their civvies, since they’d been thrown out of the game for causing the brawl—follow Carter into her office while the rest of the team pretends not to watch them.

Nobody can hear what Carter’s saying with the door closed, but they can read the faces. It’s not pretty. Bucky looks chagrined, but Steve—stupid, reckless Steve, whose habit of beaning players who insult his teammates or his manager is starting to give him a reputation—just looks determined.

"Even if he issues an apology at the press conference, don’t think that one’s ever gonna be sorry," Stark mutters as he turns back to pulling on his pants.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve hates it when people say there’s no crying in baseball, because they’ve clearly never snatched a defeat from the jaws of victory.

There is nothing quite like going into the top of the ninth of a championship game with a 4-1 lead, only for everything to fall apart. If you’ve never felt the soul-crushing feeling of bobbling a routine double-play and throwing the ball down the first base line instead of into Sam’s capable hands, then maybe this would be a legitimate claim. But Steve has seen that, has witnessed the rictus of horror on everyone’s faces as the ball skipped its way down to the edge of the field, Rhodey scrambling after it, and the goddamn Braves clearing the bases.

It’s no wonder they just sort of give up after that, and the Braves blast away that cushy lead to defeat them 7-4.

It’s also no wonder that after the game, he collapses onto the bench in the locker room, wiping at his eyes and ignoring the way the rest of the team is also wiping at their eyes. This was supposed to be their year, their moment, and one little slip took it all away.


	3. Chapter 3

They’ve talked about it before, in an abstract, “maybe someday we should…” sort of way, but with Michael Sam in the NFL, Bucky knows it’s just a matter of time before Steve vibrates out of his skin with wanting to tell.

In the end, it’s actually Bucky who spills the beans.

He has a big night toward the end of the season, and they’re in the middle of the wild card race, so the Mets pull him for the post-game press conference. He’s snapping off answers to questions like, “How does it feel to be the team to beat in the wild card race?” and “What can we expect from Barton in the upcoming series?” and “How will the team handle the spate of recent injuries?” when Christine Everhart pops up with the final question of the night.

"Mr. Barnes, all the ladies want to know: do you have a special someone in your life right now?"

There’s a collective eyeroll from the rest of the press corps, which Bucky ignores (he’s well aware that women make up a larger portion of their fanbase than they’re credited with; even if Steve would let him forget this, there’s no way his sister ever would).

He’s supposed to give a vague answer, or a glib one, per the instructions given to him by his publicist and by the Mets front office. Instead he smiles softly and says, “Yeah. Steve and I’ll be celebrating five official years this Christmas.”

_That_ gets a collective gasp, quickly followed by more shouted questions, but Bucky’s being escorted off the stage by a hilariously dumb-founded Mets press agent. He’s met in the wings by his publicist, who looks like she’s already nursing a headache (and possibly contemplating murder), and Steve, who pulls at his shirt and mutters, “You stupid son of a bitch,” just before he kisses him.

**Author's Note:**

> Definitely not writing more of this, but if I were, I'd probably be talking about it on [tumblr](http://theladyscribe.tumblr.com/) or [dreamwidth](http://theladyscribe.dreamwidth.org/).
> 
> Feedback is loved.


End file.
